India’s warning of “unavoidable consequences” after Shehbaz Sharif’s UN speech – Lagatar24.com

Lagatar24 desk

New Delhi: India has issued a sharp rebuttal in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) following Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s speech in which he raised the Jammu and Kashmir issue and criticized India’s actions. In response, India warned Pakistan that its continued support for cross-border terrorism “will inevitably have consequences.”

India’s strong response to Pakistan

India’s UN First Secretary Bhavika Mangalanandan took the floor to refute Mr Sharif’s comments, accusing Pakistan of being a hub for global terrorism and consistently using cross-border terrorism as state policy. Her sharp reaction came after Mr Sharif’s speech in which he called on India to reverse the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, which revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, and demanded dialogue between the two countries.

“This House unfortunately witnessed a travesty this morning. A country led by the military, with a global reputation for terrorism, narcotics trafficking and transnational crime, has had the audacity to attack the world’s largest democracy,” said Ms Mangalanandan. She further added, “The world can see with its own eyes what Pakistan really is.”

Allegations against Pakistan’s role in terrorism

Ms Mangalanandan accused Pakistan of being complicit in global terrorism, citing attacks by Pakistan-based terrorist groups such as the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament and the 2008 Mumbai attacks. She stressed that Pakistan’s involvement in terrorist activities the entire world is unmistakable, stating: “Pakistan’s fingerprints are on many terrorist incidents worldwide.”

She called Mr Sharif’s speech “bold” and said Pakistan’s calls for dialogue are futile unless the issue of terrorism is addressed. “There can be no deal with terrorism,” she noted, reiterating India’s stand on Pakistan’s history of harboring terrorists like Osama bin Laden.

India’s call to action against terrorism

India made it clear that any discussions on regional peace and stability with Pakistan, such as the proposed ‘Strategic Restraint Regime’, are irrelevant unless the menace of terrorism is eliminated. Ms. Mangalanandan also highlighted Pakistan’s continued interference in Jammu and Kashmir and accused the country of using terrorism to disrupt the democratic process in the region.

She also took the opportunity to confront Pakistan on its internal issues, including human rights violations, specifically referring to the 1971 genocide in Bangladesh and the persecution of minorities in Pakistan. “It is ridiculous that Pakistan is lecturing the world on intolerance given its own record,” she said.

The Pakistani answer

Following India’s response, Pakistan exercised its right of reply and dismissed India’s claims as “baseless and misleading”. Pakistan reiterated its demand for a referendum in Jammu and Kashmir, citing UN Security Council resolutions.

India’s strong stance at the UN underlines ongoing concerns over Pakistan’s support for terrorism and its interference in its internal affairs, especially in Jammu and Kashmir.